During the time I have been a fan, there have been an increasing number of instances when I have found out I have been saying something wrong for months, or even years. So, here is my guide to speaking perfect Xenaspeak.
Mail Me with any queries or additions.
August 2006
- Director Phil Sgriccia has an unusual sounding name. It's pronounced SCREECH-Y (thanks to Adam for that)
- One of the early pronunciation problems, Marton Csokas needs updating! As a big star these days, his name is everywhere and its pronounced CHO-CASH
- The writer of When Fates Collide is Katherine Fugate, but when you meet her, take care how you say her name! Its NOT FOO - GATE, you pronounce it FEW - SHJAY - the second syllable sounding the same as the French word for "I am..", J'ai
- She was great as Varia, but how DO you say Tsianina Joelson's name? Well, it's Cha - NEE - na
- Second unit and Married With Fishsticks director, Paul Grinder is GRIN - der , not GRIND - er
- Kiwi actress Darien Takle who plays Xena's mother Cyrene next. Her surname is pronounced TAKE - ul not TACK - UL
- A silly one, but a name you can say wrong if you see it written down is Gabrielle!(Gab-ree-elle) The mis-pronunciation is the male version of the name Gabriel - GAY-bri-el, however, even within the show there are variations in how the name is said.
Xena`s mother Cyrene often seems to say it as GAB-reel, with the emphasis on the first syllable, whereas Xena tends to drawl it as Gab-ri-EEHHLL with the emphasis on the last syllable, and in that sexy voice!
- In Devi, Gabrielle is possessed by an evil spirit called...well, in the episode it is pronounced Tat-ar-ka and Tart-i-kar. So who knows!
- Michael Hurst plays the character Iolaus. Easy to pronounce if you watch the show all the time, or even just now and then, but I have heard a few odd ways of saying it. It should be EE-Oh-LUS not EYE-Oh-LUS.
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The name that I realised I had been saying wrongly for years and that inspired me to create this page was the actor Robert Trebor who plays Salmoneus.
Robert TRE-bur(to rhyme with Trevor) not TREE-BOAR
- While we are on actors, the one who plays Callisto is another name to get right.
Hudson Leick pronounced LIKE,
and it is CA-LEE-STOW rather than Cal-IS-tow
- Renée O'Connor is said with the emphasis on the second syllable
Ren-NAY not REN-ee
- Probably not needed, but Ted and Sam Raimi's surname is said
RAY-MEE
- I love Draco actor Jay Laga'aia, but how do you pronouce it? Thanks to Stacey who tells me it is LAH - GUYE - AH
- Gabrielle's home town of Poteidaia is a cause for debate on the spelling front, but is pronounced
PO-TU-DEE-UH not POT-a-dee-uh (think Po of the Teletubbies!)
- Xena's weapon, the chakram is pronounced
SHARK-RUM not CHAK-RAM (a "sh" not a "ch" sound)
- Bad girl Najara seen is Series 4 is pronounced
NU-SHA-RA rather than NA-JAR-AH
- Ultimate evil Dahok (or Dahak) is said
DAY-HOCK (or DAY-HAWK if you say it with an American accent!)
- Gabrielle's sister Lila says her name
LIL-AH not LIE-LAH or anything else
- Xena's brother Toris is not a Taurus!
TOR-ISS should rhyme with BORIS
- Rob Tapert, executive producer and husband of Lucy Lawless pronounces his name
TAP-URT not tape-urt(they took the mickey out of this in the S6 ep Soul Possession)
- Borias/Khrafstar actor, the sexy Marton Csokas has a name of Hungarian extraction. After emailing someone who has a Marton Csokas web site I got this reply:
"I've heard it a couple different ways but from 2 people
who've worked with him it's more dropping the C on the last name. SO-KAS
but making the vowels softer. The first name
is MAR-TONE"
- Xena Costume designer Ngila Dickson is pronounced
NYE-LA Dickson
- I have been told the episode entitled Devi has a contentious pronounciation. I have heard it should be said,
DEEE-VEEE rather than DEV-EE longer vowel sounds, but I am not sure about this one.
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